Dynamic laser power control in light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system for controlling power of laser lights emitted by an optical sensing device. The system includes at least one storage device configured to store instructions and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one storage device and configured to execute the instructions to perform operations. The operations include detecting an object within a field of view of the optical sensing device based on a reflected laser signal received by the optical sensing device, determining a distance of the object from the optical sensing device, determining a value indicating a total power of one or more laser beams to be incident on an aperture at the distance, and comparing the value with a predetermined tolerance value. The operations also includes adjusting a laser emission scheme to reduce the total power when the value is greater than the predetermined tolerance value.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical sensing device, comprising:
 a transmitter configured to scan a surrounding environment of the optical sensing device using a plurality of laser beams; 
 a receiver configured to receive one or more reflected laser beams reflected from the surrounding environment; and 
 a controller coupled to the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the controller is configured to:
 detect, based on the one or more reflected laser beams received by the receiver, an object in the surround environment; 
 determine a distance between the object and the optical sensing device; 
 determine a value indicating a total power of one or more laser beams to be incident on an aperture at the distance; 
 compare the value with a predetermined tolerance value; and 
 after determining that the value is greater than the predetermined tolerance value, 
 control the transmitter to reduce the energy of one or more subsequent laser beams to be emitted to the surrounding environment. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The optical sensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 control the transmitter to omit at least one subsequent laser beam to reduce the energy of one or more subsequent laser beams to be emitted to the surround environment. 
 
     
     
       3. The optical sensing device of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine a number of laser beams to be omitted based on the distance; and 
 control the transmitter to omit the determined number of laser beams in subsequent laser beam emissions. 
 
     
     
       4. The optical sensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 control the transmitter to reduce power of at least one subsequent laser beam to reduce the energy of one or more subsequent laser beams to be emitted to the surround environment. 
 
     
     
       5. The optical sensing device of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one subsequent laser beam comprises a sequence of laser pulses. 
     
     
       6. The optical sensing device of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 control the transmitter to omit one or more laser pulses in the sequence. 
 
     
     
       7. The optical sensing device of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 control the transmitter to reduce power of one or more laser pulses in the sequence. 
 
     
     
       8. The optical sensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture has a size of a human pupil. 
     
     
       9. A method of controlling laser light emission by an optical sensing device, the method comprising:
 scanning a surrounding environment of the optical sensing device using a plurality of laser beams; 
 receiving one or more reflected laser beams reflected from the surrounding environment; 
 detecting, based on the received one or more reflected laser beams, an object in the surrounding environment; 
 determining a distance between the object and the optical sensing device; 
 determining a value indicating a total power of one or more laser beams to be incident on an aperture at the distance; 
 comparing the value with a predetermined tolerance value; and 
 after determining that the value is greater than the predetermined tolerance value, reducing the energy of one or more subsequent laser beams to be emitted to the surrounding environment. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , comprising:
 omitting at least one subsequent laser beam to reduce the energy of one or more subsequent laser beams to be emitted to the surround environment. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , comprising:
 determining a number of laser beams to be omitted based on the distance; and 
 omitting the determined number of laser beams in subsequent laser beam emissions. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , comprising:
 reducing power of at least one subsequent laser beam to reduce the energy of one or more subsequent laser beams to be emitted to the surround environment. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one subsequent laser beam comprises a sequence of laser pulses. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , comprising:
 omitted one or more laser pulses in the sequence. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , comprising:
 reducing power of one or more laser pulses in the sequence. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the aperture has a size of a human pupil. 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method for controlling laser light emission by an optical sensing device, the method comprising:
 scanning a surrounding environment of the optical sensing device using a plurality of laser beams; 
 receiving one or more reflected laser beams reflected from the surrounding environment; 
 detecting, based on the received one or more reflected laser beams, an object in the surround environment; 
 determining a distance between the object and the optical sensing device; 
 determining a value indicating a total power of one or more laser beams to be incident on an aperture at the distance; 
 comparing the value with a predetermined tolerance value; and 
 after determining that the value is greater than the predetermined tolerance value, reducing the energy of one or more subsequent laser beams to be emitted to the surrounding environment. 
 
     
     
       18. The optical sensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 compare the distance with a distance tolerance value; and 
 after determining that the distance is equal to or less than the distance tolerance value, control the transmitter to reduce energy of one or more subsequent laser beams to be emitted to the surrounding environment. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 9 , comprising:
 comparing the distance with a distance tolerance value; and 
 after determining that the distance is equal to or less than the distance tolerance value, reducing energy of one or more subsequent laser beams to be emitted to the surrounding environment. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the method comprises:
 comparing the distance with a distance tolerance value; and 
 after determining that the distance is equal to or less than the distance tolerance value, reducing energy of one or more subsequent laser beams to be emitted to the surrounding environment.